Profiling

• What is offender profiling?

  A tool to find suspects using behavior
• What are the two types of offender profiling?

  Top-down and bottom-up profiling
• How does offender profiling aim to predict characteristics of criminals?

  By using evidence from the crime scene
• What is top-down profiling based on?

  Pre-existing conceptual categories of offenders
• How does top-down profiling categorize offenders?

  By fitting evidence into pre-existing categories
• What are the characteristics of organized offenders?

  • Average to high intelligence
  • Plans offenses
  • Uses restraints on victims
  • Socially and sexually competent
  • Conceals evidence
  • High degree of control during the crime
  • Operates with precision
  • Usually married or has children
  • Follows crimes in the media
  • Lives close to the crime scene
• What are the characteristics of disorganized offenders?

  • Below average intelligence
  • Little planning, impulsive acts
  • Minimal use of restraints
  • Socially incompetent
  • Leaves body on display
  • Engages little with the victim
  • Messy crime scenes with incriminating evidence
  • Likely to have a history of sexual dysfunction
• What is a key difference between organized and disorganized offenders regarding evidence?

  Organized offenders conceal evidence, disorganized do not
• What might indicate an offender's intelligence level in profiling?

  Average to high intelligence for organized offenders
• If an offender leaves the body on display, what type of offender are they likely to be?

  Disorganized offender
• How might Ted Bundy be classified in terms of offender profiling?

  As an organized offender due to his planning
• What are the stages of top-down profiling?

  1. Crime scene analysis
  2. Judgments by profiler
  3. Categorization of offender
• What defines a disorganised criminal?

  Chaotic behavior and mental difficulties.
• What details were reported in the case by Ressler et al. (1988)?

  • Female victim, 26 years old
  • Naked body found on apartment roof
  • Spine deformed, 90 lbs weight
  • Nipples removed and placed on body
  • Face severely beaten, throttled with bag strap
  • Blunt instrument used for facial injuries
  • Items used from victim's bag
  • Underwear pulled over face, stockings tied loosely
  • Pen and umbrella inserted into vagina
  • No semen found, offender ejaculated on body
  • Bite marks and bruises present
  • Phrase "you can't stop me" written on thigh
  • Faeces found nearby, covered with victim's clothes
  • No similar crimes reported in the area
  • Victim left for work at 6:30 am
• What is the bottom-up profiling approach associated with David Canter?

  • Profile generated from crime scene evidence
  • Systematic analysis using psychological theories
  • Data-driven approach
  • Two types: Investigative psychology and geographical profiling
• What principle is geographical profiling based on?

  Spatial consistency linking offender's base.
• What does crime mapping in geographical profiling do?

  Links local crime statistics to offender's base.
• What is the assumption about serial killers in geographical profiling?

  They restrict crimes to familiar areas.
• What is the circle theory in offender profiling?

  • Offenders operate within imagined boundaries
  • Marauders: close to home base
  • Commuters: travel away from usual residence
• What are the similarities and differences between top-down and bottom-up profiling?

  Similarities:

  • Both aim to profile offenders
  • Use evidence from crime scenes

  
  

  Differences:

  • Top-down: theory-driven, less data
  • Bottom-up: data-driven, systematic analysis
• What methods are used in top-down profiling?

  Judgements by profiler and crime scene analysis.
• What methods are used in bottom-up profiling?

  Systematic analysis of evidence and psychological theories.
• What is the focus of bottom-up profiling?

  Creating hypotheses about offender characteristics.
• What is the role of crime scene analysis in profiling?

  To make inferences about the offender.
• Why might the categories of offenders not work for other types of crimes?

  Different crimes may require different profiling methods.